Chicken bald back

[sadieatthebridge]

Hello again,

 

Our chickens have been with us for about 3 weeks. We originally had Marriages Layers Pellets for them but they seemed to largely ignore them. We assumed this was because they were cleared the (fixed, uncovered) run of plant and insect life. However, after they had cleared the ground they still weren't eating the pellets. I mixed in some poultry spice - they still ignored the pellets. Tried leaving off the rain cover - and they seemed to prefer that, although I have seen them use the feeder with the rain cover on.

 

When we spoke to the breeder, she suggested trying them with the pellets they had been used to ('til 22 weeks). So we switched to Garvo layers pellets. Eating seemed to pick up - the Garvo certainly smelled nicer and seemed softer and smaller pellets.

 

We've been weighing their food, and they have eaten anything from 300g to 50 g per day between the four of them (a gingernut, a copper black, a columbine and a speckledy). I'm not sure this is enough? We've not been giving them corn, nor mealworms for the last week, although the kids have been giving them a few dandelion leaves a day. They finished their peck block within the first week, and have ignored hanging nettles and carrot tops.

 

I haven't wormed them yet, though I have bought some Flubenvet. Until they are eating reliably, can I worm them?

 

We were getting 1 or 2 eggs a day for the first week and a half. This has now dropped to 1 or 0 eggs per day.

 

So my questions are:

 

1. Are they eating enough? We are going away for the w/e and my parents will be calling round to put food out etc. I was going to hang another peck block out seeing as they won't have as much company - should I not do this to force them into eating their pellets?

 

2. Should we still hang fire on the treats until they eat more? Or are a few dandelion leaves okay? They are noisy when they hear someone go into the garden and will try to escape when you open the gate - presumably because they can see such leafy, insect goodness in the garden! Am I depriving them by not allowing them more greenery?

 

3. Can I use Flubenvet when I don't know how much they eat?

 

4. Is the drop in egg production due to the lack of eating?

 

Any advice would be appreciated. Sorry this is so long!

[emmalou]

I had this problem and was in your shoes too so don't worry. I was feeding our 5 chickens a cereal mix until I found that was like giving them cake so I give them a little now, along with a small amount of wheat from time to time. Primarily they always have layer pellets. They did a strop and wouldn't eat it for a while but when they realise that is all they had they started eating it. They won't go hungry. I give them a feeder with enough in to graze on. I give them wormer over 3 days in their pellets each month. I also give ours some cabbage/grapes/ dandelion mix but not too many dandelions. We had regular eggs daily for 3 weeks then this week it has dropped off significantly to 1-2 a day although today we have 3!

I also now add 10ml of cider vinegar to 1 litre of water over a week which helps with the laying and seems to be working. The things that can affect them is stress, heat, not enough daylight hours (14-16 hrs a day needed as a rule), and maybe mites in nest box can cause issues. I think it is just patience. Hope this helps you a little.

[sjp]

they shouldn't need worming yet rule of thumb is 100grams per bird per day but as yours aren't yet in full laying mode I'd not worry to much plus the hot weather isn't helping, they won't be burning off much energy running about in the heat so won't need to replace it. it's taken one of my groups 2 days to get through a normal days worth of pellets and as said they won't starve themselves only humans do that as long as they are drinking then they can go a couple of days or so on short rations

[sadieatthebridge]

Thanks for your replies - sorry I didn't respond as we disappeared off for the weekend!

 

The chickens seemed to survive their weekend with the chicken sitters. I was quite buoyed by the reports that they had been eating their pellets, and indeed, first thing this morning they were pecking away when I returned the feeder into the run. However, having just weighed it, they have only eaten about 190g between the 4 of them so far today.

 

Surely this isn't enough? They have had a few dandelion leaves, a couple of cherries each and a small handful of corn (all after 5 o'clock this afternoon).

 

I am also worried about Dolores, the copper black. I cleaned up a very liquidy poo from underneath her spot on the perch this morning, and she has some poo on her bum. She seems quieter today although I had seen her eating a few pellets this morning and the corn and a cherry or two this afternoon. Could that be worms? And if so, can I reliably worm them with Flubenvet if they aren't eating so much?

 

I'm a bit worried - this chicken business is trickier than anticipated!!

[sadieatthebridge]

Just a quick update: having searched extensively for chicken poo images for the last few hours, I think I will describe the poos as watery, some green, some white and very watery. No blood spotted.

 

I'm very worried. Will keep a very close eye on her tomorrow

[sadieatthebridge]

Another update!

 

After more Googling I have found that our POLs were fully vaccinated against coccidiosis. I had half convinced myself that was the problem, so at least I can rule that out. Phew.

[emmalou]

As far as the poop goes, every 8 to 10 poos of a chicken is brown and runny and resembles melted chocolate. It is normal. I cannot remember the name of it but is normal. We have it as well as the normal dollopy poo which is brown with some white on it.

As far as their diet goes, they will eat plenty from the run, insects bugs etc so don't panic about them not eating enough. As I said before I felt sure ours weren't eating enough either but they will settle down. The other thing is, ours were onky used to eating a certain pellet at the breeders and to suddenly be given a different food etc can make them very fussy for a while, so bear with them. They will eat when they are hungry so don't panic.

[Cat tails]

You are referring to a ceacal poo Emmalou, but those are definitely not watery. Heat can give them watery poo sometimes, as will eating lots of watery greens like lettuce.

 

Sadie: see if you can get an hold of her to feel her crop and tummy. Crop should feel like it has some food in it but not slosshy or very firm. Tummy shouldn't feel bloated/squishy or very hot.

[emmalou]

OH I understood it to be watery as ours have it every day now and then along side normal poop. If you look this Cecal up it is brown and runny??? It is and has been hot and they do eat cabbage every day. Should I cut back on greens then? I am trying not to give them bread etc as I think it is too sugary for them.

[sjp]

OH I understood it to be watery as ours have it every day now and then along side normal poop. If you look this Cecal up it is brown and runny??? It is and has been hot and they do eat cabbage every day. Should I cut back on greens then? I am trying not to give them bread etc as I think it is too sugary for them.

it's brown and a bit like thick gravy. cabbage I only feed in the winter as mine get plenty of leaves from spring to early autumn from my apple plum cherry trees plus the grape vine and if they get the chance the potatoes as well. bread should really be avoided but mine get the odd slice or two of brown in the winter if I have to suffer it they can as well . mine are also getting windfall apples at the moment plus a few that they help of the trees and once the courgettes start they'll be getting those

[emmalou]

Yes that is right then! I thought it was normal for a chicken to produce this......not getting mixed up with any other condition or illness of course. I thought this was normal for a chicken every 8-10 poos. Boy, forums are confusing sometimes. They have cabbage as they are not totally free range yet so try and give them what greens I can until such a time they can forrage in the garden.

[sadieatthebridge]

She died. Poor little Dolores.

 

When I took their food out this morning at about 7:20, she hadn't even come off the perch, despite the door opening at 6:30.

 

I picked her up and cuddled her for a while. She wouldn't drink, so I tried her with some porridge which she ignored.

 

We were at the vets by 8:30, but couldn't see the ex-farm vet til 9:30. By the time Dolores had been examined, she was breathing with difficulty and couldn't stand any more, so she was PTS.

 

I can't believe it. And as we don't know what she died of, how on earth do we stop it from happening again. We've only had them 3.5 weeks, and we've already lost one

[Cat tails]

So sorry to hear! They can go down very quickly.

If you are very anxious to know, you could ask for a post mortem. Just keep an eye on the rest, but they probably will be fine.

[Luvachicken]

So sorry to read that Dolores didn't make it.

As Cat tails has said, keep an eye on the others just to make sure they are OK.

Sleep tight Dolores x

[sadieatthebridge]

Thanks, I did think of a post mortem, but having already paid £87 this morning I don't think we could justify the cost.

 

I've taken the house apart this afternoon and cleaned it thoroughly, along with the drinker and the grit pot.

 

I used Poultry Shield - hopefully that will be enough?

 

The other three chickens look okay. I have seen Hetty and Margot eating the pellets, but not Adelaide. They possibly look thinner than when we first got them, but that could be my imagination. Still scratching around though. Might get some new scales and try weighing them.

 

I feel so guilty about Dolores - I wish I knew what we did wrong. The vet said it could be viral, or bacterial or perhaps a problem with her kidneys. She said to worm the others and clean the house thoroughly and move the run if possible. That isn't really an option for us as they are in a fixed run. I will buy some sanitising powder asap.

 

Any thing else I should do?

[Cat tails]

If you can, pick up the others and feel their tummy and breastbone. This is a good indication of their condition. You probably will feel their breastbone, but there should still be muscle on both sides. If they are on the thin side, you can give them some wet cat food as a treat. High in calories and they often love it.

 

As long as you're not sure what she died from, there isn't much else you can do. Apart from enjoying your remaining chickens of course.

[sjp]

I very much doubt you've done anything wrong my first thorough when I read your post this afternoon was kidney failure but even if it was one of the other 2 complaints I don't think they would have been down to your land / garden environment it's more likely that the stress of the move from the 'growers shed' to the place you brought them from to their new home with you has triggered some underlying complaint probably generic also a key point chickens are very good at hiding illness

[sadieatthebridge]

I don't think I'm enjoying them at at the moment

 

I wish they would just eat! We got 2 eggs yesterday, so I thought things were looking up....

 

I put 500g of pellets with 3g Flubenvet/olive oil added this morning. I'll weigh that a bit later and see how they're getting on.

 

So sad about Dolores. We lost our greyhound to a brain tumour in April. She was only 7 so it was pretty traumatic and all this is making me sad all over again. Poor little chicken.

[Cat tails]

I know the feeling.

But you did everything you could. You took her to the vet to get help and made the right decision to ease her suffering. Judging from your description of symptoms I wouldn't have taken her in any sooner than you did. Hens can have their ups and downs and will make you worry sometimes...

I happily took my hen to the vet twice, to see if there was anything that could be done. Some friends called me nuts as I could have gotten myself 3 new hens for the price of one vet visit... But that's what I do for my animals and that's what you did as well.

[sadieatthebridge]

Thank you, Cat Tails. I just can't believe how she went from looking a bit peaky to dying within a matter of hours. This chicken business is a steep learning curve.

[Cat tails]

That's the nature of prey animals. They go to great lengths to hide their symptoms. Cats and dogs in that sense are a bit easier. They can't voice what's wrong either, but will show it sooner.